1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a connector from a tracheal tube to the anesthesia machine or respirator, herein referred to as an anesthesia conduit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tracheal tubes are used to administer anesthetic gas during surgical procedures. Tracheal tubes are also used to provide oxygen from a respirator in order to assist patients who are experiencing breathing difficulty or weaning patients off respirators. The distal end of such a tube is positioned in the trachea of a patient, and hence the name. The distal end of one type of tracheal tube, a tracheostomy tube, may be inserted into the patient's trachea through an opening in the neck. The distal end of another type of tracheal tube, an endotracheal tube, may be inserted into the trachea through the patient's nose or mouth. The proximal end of either type of tracheal tube may be connected to a respirator or to an anesthesia circuit via a connector tube, thereby forming a path from the gas circuit to the patient's trachea.
During surgery, it is necessary to monitor a patient's respiration and vital signs. Respiration and vital sign monitoring entails measuring CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, N.sub.2 O and anesthesic gas, in addition to other vital signs, such as pulse and blood pressure. Airway pressure and volume are also monitored. Such monitoring is typically performed by a respiratory gas monitor (RGM), such as is well known in the art. An example of one such monitor is the Ohmeda.TM. 5250 RGM. In order to connect the RGM to the path between the gas circuit and the patient, the RGM includes an adapter which is placed between the tracheal tube and the gas circuit. The RGM adapter includes a port which is connected to the RGM by a tube. As illustrated in FIG. 1, RGM adapters often include a male end and a female end so that the adapter 1 is arranged in series with the tracheal tube 2, connector tube 3 and gas circuit 4.
Suction may also be needed at some location between the tracheal tube 2 and the gas circuit in order to remove certain secretions from the lungs, mouth, etc. Thus, in addition to the RGM adapter, a suction adapter, having a port which can be used for suctioning tracheal and lung secretions is to be incorporated into the connector tube, RGM adapter and gas circuit.
In order to allow tubing from the gas circuit to be positioned without dislodging the tracheal tube, flexible tubing 5 is typically inserted between the connector tube 3 and the gas circuit 4. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the flexible tubing 5, RGM adapter 1 and suction adapter 1 are connected in series (from up to three to four different connection sites) and used to form a pathway between the tracheal tube 2 and the gas circuit 4.
While useful for their intended purposes, there are a number of disadvantages inherent in placing RGM adapters, suction adapters and flexible tubing between a tracheal tube and a gas circuit. For example, each time one of these elements is added, an additional discontinuity, or junction, is formed between the tracheal tube and the gas circuit. Such junctions cause a number of problems during surgery; they are sources of disconnections and subsequent leaks. Disruption of delivery of oxygen and anesthesia agents to the patient creates a hazard to the patient and to operating room personnel, and contaminates the operating room environment. Accordingly, this path between the tracheal tube and the gas circuit must be continuously monitored for leaks and disconnections by the anesthesiologist or other personnel, particularly if the head and/or patient is turned in different directions during surgery. Thus, even when no leaks or disconnections occur at the junctions, the mere possibility of such an occurrence serves as a distraction.
Finally, the accuracy of the RGM depends upon the distance of the RGM adapter from the gas source, i.e. the patient's trachea. The closer the adapter is to the source, the more accurate the RGM's measurements. However, it is common for RGM adapters to be inadvertently positioned on the distal end of the connector tube, the point farthest from the patient. Such malpositioning needlessly increases the distance between the RGM adapter and the gas source, thereby decreasing the accuracy of the RGM's measurements.